Waste firm Associated Waste Management Ltd has been fined £125,000 for causing odour pollution at its sites in Leeds and Bradford.

The company was sentenced at Leeds Crown Court on 6 March 2017 after previously admitting two environmental offences relating to its waste transfer facilities in Gelderd Road, Leeds and Canal Road, Bradford.

The Environment Agency prosecuted the company following repeated odour problems that had a detrimental effect on local residents.

Austin Stoton, prosecuting for the Environment Agency, told the court that AWM’s Leeds site caused repeated odour problems between June 2012 and October 2013. During this time, Environment Agency officers carried out around 75 odour assessments, and most of them recorded smells that were likely to cause offence to human senses.

In October 2013 the Environment Agency suspended the company’s permit for the Leeds facility, preventing it from bringing any more waste onto the site until it had made improvements to its odour management plan. This new plan was approved that month and the permit was reinstated.

In the same year, between March and July, AWM’s Bradford site was also the cause of odour issues. These prompted local residents to complain on 49 separate dates.

One resident had complained that the odour was so bad that it had made him feel sick. He also said that if there was a smell present, he couldn’t open windows and his family couldn’t spend time in the garden. Another resident said at the time that he and his family had found it virtually impossible to have any enjoyment from their garden.

An inspection visit in March 2013 revealed that the company was not closing the shutters on a tipping shed used by bin wagons, which allowed the smell of rotting waste to leave the site.

In July, the Environment Agency served an enforcement notice on the firm that required it to improve its odour management plan for the site. The company’s first revision of this document, submitted in August, was rejected as inadequate and it wasn’t until October that a new plan was approved.

A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said after the hearing:

Waste sites like those managed by AWM can have a detrimental impact on local communities if they are not managed properly. That’s why it is vital that operators adhere to environmental regulations and the conditions on their environmental permits.

In this case, AWM failed to maintain high standards of odour management at its facilities in Leeds and Bradford, and local residents suffered as a result. We hope today’s outcome demonstrates that odour pollution is not acceptable and that the Environment Agency will take action against businesses that fail to adhere to permitting rules.

In mitigation, the company told the court that it had relied upon an external company that had approached it regarding odour suppression equipment, which had not worked.

AWM was fined £75,000 for the Leeds offence, and £50,000 for the Bradford offence. It was also ordered to pay £75,000 in legal costs.

Two years ago, Ofsted said it would start testing inspection reliability. This was, in part, a response to sector voices, who quite reasonably thought we should know how consistent inspection judgements are. All our inspectors are thoroughly and repeatedly trained, and all our inspections are quality-assured, giving us some confidence that what are ultimately human judgements are made properly and consistently. Yet nothing beats hard evidence from a well designed trial.

At the same time, our short inspection framework was being developed. We did not want to miss the opportunity to evaluate this new type of inspection from the start. The study was therefore designed to answer a single question: were the decisions about whether short inspections should or should not convert to full inspections being made consistently by different inspectors? There were many more questions that could have been asked, but the study was a first step towards a more evidence-based approach to the development of inspection.

Today, I am pleased to set out the findings in this commentary, based on the full report, which is published today.

The basic design of the study was a comparison of the outcomes from 2 inspectors carrying out a short inspection of the same school independently, on the same day. So what did we learn?

First, it appears we are breaking new ground here. Some reliability studies have been done before, but they were usually looking at specific parts of inspection, such as lesson observation. They have not looked at the whole inspection process from start to finish. Our report contributes new findings to the research literature.

Secondly, carrying out this study was surprisingly difficult. The complexities included:

• getting the balance right between the live inspection and the study goal

• identifying ways to minimise bias and cross-contamination of inspector evidence gathering and thinking

• ensuring that inspectors and participating schools were fully prepared for simultaneous parallel inspections

• achieving a large enough sample of participating schools

Thirdly, and most importantly for everyone who is inspected, the study provides a welcome positive view of inspector consistency in the particular context studied. Of the 24 short inspections in our sample, inspectors agreed on the outcome in 22 cases. This indicates a high rate of agreement (92%) between these inspectors about the conversion decision.

Furthermore, in 1 of the 2 cases of disagreement, the disagreement was at the good/outstanding borderline and was resolved by the full inspection: 1 inspector’s view was that conversion was unnecessary as the school remained good; the other had opted for conversion to collect further evidence to see if an outstanding judgement was justified. The outcome of the full inspection was that the school remained good. So in only 1 out of 24 cases might the final judgement have been different between the 2 inspectors, as both decided to convert to a full inspection for opposing reasons. Despite this, the outcome at the full inspection was that this school also remained good.

There are, of course, limitations to a small-scale exploratory study like this that need to be taken into account. The findings cannot be extrapolated across other types of inspections or all types of institution. For instance, the study looked only at short inspections of primary schools in a certain size range and it had a relatively small sample. Yet, as an initial attempt at evaluating reliability, these findings should provide some reassurance that the purpose of the short inspection model is being met and that inspectors made consistent judgements.

I suspect that, despite this encouraging result, most comment will be about the 2 cases where inspectors arrived at different decisions. We all know that there is low education system tolerance of variability in marking in exams. (See: ‘The reliability programme: final report of the policy advisory group’, Burslem, S. (2011). Coventry: Ofqual)

It is likely that this is the case with inspection, because of its high-stakes nature and, in particular, the consequences that can follow from a poor inspection outcome.

The imperative is rightly on Ofsted to ensure that our judgements are as reliable as possible. But a medical analogy may be helpful here: many kinds of clinical testing give both false positive results (where someone doesn’t actually have the condition, but appears to) and false negatives (where someone has the condition but is not picked up by the test). Perfectly reliable tests are the exception, not the rule.

Turning back to education and social care, we know that inspection is a process based on human judgement to interpret and complement available data. We know a great deal about human judgement, and can work to minimise the impact of the limitations resulting from the various kinds of bias in human judgement, but we are unlikely ever to reach a position where perfect consistency can be guaranteed.

For one thing, we would not want to over-simplify inspection in the pursuit of consistency. A tick-box approach, for instance, might lead to improved reliability but would be a mechanistic approach to inspection that would almost certainly undermine its validity. We need some degree of professional judgement to reflect the complexity and variety of institutions we inspect. This may well lead to experts disagreeing at times. It does not necessarily mean that 1 inspector or the other is wrong or that they made mistakes, as there are likely to be multiple decisions made on the areas to evaluate that can lead to legitimately different views.

So how can we increase reliability while recognising that inspectors cannot be clones?

The short inspection process attempts to do just that, as any disagreement between inspectors can be resolved once the short inspection converts to a full inspection. In the 2 cases in our sample where inspectors did not agree on the short inspection outcome, the follow-up inspection activity led to both schools remaining good. This is a small amount of evidence to suggest that the safety net at the end of the short inspection adds an extra layer of security to the final judgement. As such, it is likely that the conversion process is another mechanism that allows us to protect schools from the risk of unreliable inspector judgements. It certainly appears to be more secure than past attempts at light-touch inspection frameworks.

Of course, there are a number of assumptions here. While I have confidence that inspection frameworks, inspector training and quality assurance procedures mitigate the risks of inconsistency, we need to study the inspection judgements themselves, as well as the decisions around the conversion of short inspections.

As I have already mentioned, this study is just a first step towards a continuing programme of research into inspection. We should routinely be looking at issues of consistency and reliability. And even more importantly, we should be looking at the validity of inspection: is inspection succeeding in measuring what it is intended to measure? This is not an easy question, in part because validity is not an absolute: it depends on the purpose of the inspection.

We are beginning to shape up what this research programme should look like. But this is not a quick hit in which everything is sorted at once: rather, it will be a steady process in which questions are addressed systematically. Some of this may come through work on components of inspection rather than inspection in its entirety.

And as part of that process, we will continue to work with outside academics and other experts, as well as those at the receiving end of inspection, to help shape the approach we take. It is really valuable to have the right level of challenge in this kind of work, as well as specialist expertise.

And finally, in this context, I am very grateful to our own staff who have worked hard on this study, especially Alan Passingham and Matthew Purves. I am also extremely grateful to the members of our expert advisory panel, whose helpful advice contributed a great deal to the project. The panel has included, at various points: Professor Robert Coe, Dr Melanie Ehren, Lesley Duff, Dr Iftikhar Hussain, Danielle Mason, Stefano Pozzi, Rebecca Allen, Sam Freedman and Jonathan Simons. We are very much looking forward to continuing to work with these and others as we develop this work in the future.

Introduction

Good morning and thank you Dylan for the introduction, I’m delighted to be welcoming you all here this morning.

This event has been in the making since my very first conversation with Liam Fox, the Secretary of State for International Trade, back in the summer of last year.

It was in the aftermath of the referendum, and the reality that the nation had just voted to leave the EU.

We recognised that this would provide some challenges for all Welsh businesses and as mentioned to me by the chairman of CBI, businesses thrive on change and have shown great resilience.

However, we also recognise that this is a time of great opportunity, for the UK, Welsh businesses and the economy.

As part of the United Kingdom, Wales benefits from the economic security and international influence that comes from pooling our resources and sharing our successes with Scotland, England and Northern Ireland.

We need to make sure businesses in Wales have every tool in the box available to them, to take advantage of the opportunities presented.

Liam and I, and the Welsh Government share the same vision for a global and outward looking United Kingdom, and support a desire to ensure his department helps businesses right across the UK to reach their full potential by looking to global markets.

As the Prime Minister said in January ‘the result of the referendum was not a decision to turn inward and retreat from the world’. She set up the UK Government Department of International Trade to focus on supporting you and other businesses in your trade ambitions and for that reason we must all be ambitious for Wales, and I want to see us taking advantage of every opportunity.

In December, Liam Fox and I met with a number of Welsh businesses.

Today, this summit builds on that engagement by bringing together more businesses from across Wales to hear about exporting.

In a few minutes, you will hear from my good friend and colleague, Mark Garnier, the Minister for Trade. He and I met last week to discuss how we can work together promoting trade and investment in Wales – We are already planning for the outcomes of today’s summit.

I fully intend to ensure Welsh businesses are central to trade missions, I will be attending number of trade missions to offer my support to help land you that deal and I hope some of you will be able to join me.

Exports

Wales is already an exporting nation, the value of Welsh exports was £11.6 billion in 2015.

With technological advances removing the barriers of time and distance we have a golden opportunity to forge a new role for ourselves in the world, one which puts British people first.

Much of the advance technology powering our mobile phones and other devices is being pioneered right here in Wales.

Over half of the world’s commercial aircraft are now flying using wings made by Airbus in Broughton and every two seconds, a GE powered airplane is taking off somewhere in the world.

But it’s not just big business that can export, in fact, big business will only take us so far in our ambition.

In 2015, 4,000 Welsh companies took their first steps into exporting – my ambition is to see more Welsh businesses following in their footsteps.

Last week I was at the South Wales Chambers of Commerce Wales Business Awards where I had the privilege to meet with a number of different businesses that already export.

I’d like to extend my congratulations to winners of the success through overseas trade award, Welsh Hills Bakery, and all the nominees, some of whom I know are in this room today.

Small businesses across Wales, who are also supported by FSB and others, are exporting for the first time, with the support of both UK and Welsh Government.

Welsh lamb, Penderyn Whiskey and Anglesey Sea Salt to name just a few.

Halen Môn has been exporting since 2001 and has grown to the point where it now sells salt in 17 different countries across the world.

Government support

The exporting success of companies like Halen Môn is down to the entrepreneurship of those involved in the company. But Government also has apart to play in helping and supporting.

For Halen Môn, that included, setting up meetings with buyers in markets ranging from Hong Kong to Singapore, China, Russia and Japan.

Helping them navigate the necessary paperwork

And supporting their application for Protected Designation of Origin status in 2014.

Additionally, UK Government can support business by bringing together inspiring GREAT British companies in complimentary areas on Trade Missions and at other events.

The UK Government has 1,200 dedicated staff in 109 countries worldwide – a world class resource for businesses in Wales continue to tap in to and that is exactly what I want to see happening.

The Department for International Trade is a department for the whole of the UK, and I want to see businesses in Wales taking advantage of the support they can offer. Whether you are a business in Swansea or Swindon, you are entitled to the same support.

This financial year the activity calendar has included 791 trade missions and events available to UK companies.

It also includes more than 80 DIT created inward and outward missions to and from the UK with our key trading partners globally.

In Wales, the DiT has helped more than 600 companies this year with export service deliveries – including support from our posts overseas, help attending international trade shows and market research.

20 Welsh Companies have told us that our support has helped them win export deals worth more than £200 million in the last nine months.

Working with the Welsh Government

The support offered by the Welsh Government complements the support offered by UK Government. We are not in competition. We both want Welsh businesses to export and secure export deals.

Together, we are supporting businesses of all sizes and in all sectors with every step of their exporting journey.

I know the economic Minister, Ken Skates is disappointed not to be able to attend today, but later on this morning, Mick McGuire, Director for Sectors at the Welsh Government, will be joining us, alongside representatives from UK Government, for a session on the exporting support available to businesses in Wales.

I believe this demonstrates just how closely the UK Government and Welsh Government are working on this shared agenda.

After that, we will hear from Jon Rennie of Cloth Cat Animation, Tim Lowe from Dawnus, and Andrew Evans of SPTS, three successful Welsh exporters on their experiences of exporting and how Government has supported them in their endeavours. I would also like to hear where the UK Government could have gone further.

Conclusion

I hope that you will leave here today inspired to look to global markets.

I also hope that you leave here knowing how to access the tools that will help you make that vision a reality.

There are millions of people across the world looking for your skills, expertise, goods and services and I urge you to have a look.

My job as Secretary of State for Wales is to stand up for Welsh businesses and do everything I can to help companies like yours to prosper. My door is always open to you.

I want to emphasise that at a UK level, through my department at the Wales Office, through the Department for International Trade, and through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, we can help you take this vital work even further, forging new relationships around the world.

We are determined to do anything and everything we can to grow your business and secure export deals. I would now like to welcome the Minister for International Trade, Mark Garnier, who will talk more about the benefits of trading, and about the support that is available through his department.

John Edwards, Director of Education and Skills at Manchester city council, has been named as the new Regional Schools Commissioner for East Midlands and the Humber.

He will be responsible for overseeing the growth of academies in the region and will monitor their performance to ensure children receive the best possible education. He is taking over from Jennifer Bexon-Smith.

John will start later this year, working with Sir David Carter to shape the role and priorities of the growing numbers of academies in the region, contributing to the government’s agenda of raising standards, by tackling underperformance to create more ‘good’ school places for every child regardless of background or circumstances.

John Edwards said:

I’m very much looking forward to the challenges of my new role as Regional Schools Commissioner for the East Midlands and the Humber, and hope I can make a real difference to the lives and outcomes of children and young people working in partnership with everyone in the region.

I will undoubtedly miss Manchester and particularly all the people I work with. I know however that in their capable hands learning in the city will continue to go from strength to strength.

National Schools Commissioner Sir David Carter said:

I am thrilled that John Edwards is joining my team as the new Regional Schools Commissioner for the East Midlands and the Humber region. John was selected from a strong national field and will bring a wealth of experience and talent from his work as Director of Education and Skills in Manchester, that has improved the life chances of many young people.

Regional Schools Commissioners’ (RSCs) responsibilities include:

• taking decisions on the creation of new academies
• monitoring their performance and improving underperforming academies
• ensuring there is a strong supply of excellent sponsors to work with underperforming schools in the region
• encouraging and supporting high-quality applications for new free schools

The East Midlands and the Humber commissioner works with 970 academies and free schools across the region.

John will be advised by a board of headteachers of ‘outstanding’ academies or experienced educational leaders. The board challenges and supports the work of the commissioner, bringing additional educational insight and local intelligence to decision-making.

1. The Regional Schools Commissioner for East Midlands and the Humber is responsible for making decisions about academies and free schools in the following local authorities:
   • Barnsley
   • Derby
   • Derbyshire
   • Doncaster
   • East Riding of Yorkshire
   • Kingston upon Hull
   • Leicester
   • Leicestershire
   • Lincolnshire
   • north-east Lincolnshire
   • north Lincolnshire
   • Nottingham
   • Nottinghamshire
   • Rotherham
   • Rutland
   • Sheffield
   • York
2. The full list of Regional Schools Commissioners are:
   • Tim Coulson: East of England and north-east London
   • John Edwards: East Midlands and the Humber
   • Vicky Beer: Lancashire and West Yorkshire
   • Janet Renou: North of England
   • Martin Post: north-west London and south-central England
   • Dominic Herrington: South-East England and south London
   • Rebecca Clark: South-West England
   • Christine Quinn: West Midlands

3. The RSCs, supported by their headteacher boards, perform functions of the Secretary of State on her behalf, within a national framework. This will not cut across existing accountability lines; accountability will remain with the Secretary of State, with decisions better informed by sector expertise.

4. Mr Edward’s biography: John Edwards has been the Director of Education and Skills for Manchester city council since February 2013, with responsibility for all of the council’s education functions, including schools, early years, youth, 14 to 19 and adult skills. Prior to this role, John was Assistant Director for Learning and Skills at Kirklees council, and previously worked for Manchester city council (as Deputy Director of Children’s Services) and for Wakefield council. Before moving into local government, John worked in schools across Yorkshire for over a decade, as a maths teacher, head of sixth form and senior leader. He is married with 2 school-age children and lives in Sheffield.